Shinya Tsukamoto’s Vital Reviewed At Midnight Eye

I really need to see this film. Japan’s Shinya Tsukamoto is still best known on this side of the ocean for his techno-nightmare freakout Tetsuo The Iron Man but as he has progressed from film to film he has developed into a devastatingly complete film maker. He generates a lot of comparisons to David Lynch – and deservedly so – but while Lynch has gotten more obscure as he’s moved on Tsukamoto has gradually become more direct as he’s become more confident in his own work and his own voice. Last year’s A Snake of June was a powerhouse flick, easily his best yet, and so I was very, very excited when I heard that he had cast Tadanobu Asano – pretty easily my favorite Japanese actor – to star in his newest film, Vital. It’s already been announced for this year’s Toronto Film Festival and was already on my must-see list, but this review has got me drooling in anticipation.